Can't face the Stars
by Snowy702
Summary: After the Tardis lands in 1837, the Doctor and Ponds find a carnival where the biggest stars aren't of this world. OC/Doctor, OC/OC.
1. Preface

_~Waiting, for a promise~_

_October 1837_

_It was a foggy night in Falling Star bay. The moon, jaundiced by the fumes of industry, reflected like a shimmering penny in the black sea of the channel, while the fog smothered silhouettes of warehouses stood out like tomb stones against the night sky. _

_It was a cold night and two young men, barely in their twenties, stood out on the bay's only dock. Shuffling from foot to foot and clapping their gloved hands together in an effort to keep warm. _

"_What are we doing her Chip?" one of the men said in a thick Scottish accent. "I'm freezing my tips off out here."_

"_I told you, we're waiting for her." Chip said keeping his eyes over the calmed water. _

"_I know that much, I just don't believe your, he said in a harsh tone, rubbing his arms vigorously. "What I do believe chip is that you are out of your mind if you think a woman's coming out of the bloody water."_

_Chip hit his friend on his shoulder with the back side of his chilled hand. _

"_Shut up Kal, you'll scare 'er away." he hissed through his teeth determined to see something emerge from the waters. _

_A few moments went by and Kal scoffed. "maybe you saw a seal? There's a ton of 'em around here."_

"_No, she's out there somewhere, I made a promise awhile back and I'm not going to be made out to be a liar." Chip snapped back._

"_Oh .. So are you like in love or something with this so called mystery woman?" _

_A small smile creped across Chip's face. "Her and I shared a moment, that was absolute. She looked into my eyes at my darkest hour of my life and knew what I was thinking, then she comforted me in a way that took my breath away. I never knew that people like that even existed." he went silent, staring at the unmoving sea._

_Kal stared at his intensity and felt them through his words. _

"_What the hell are you talking about?" he responded giving chip the evil eye. Sighing deeply Chip turned to his friend and rolled his eyes. _

"_I need to see her again, she's inside my head Kal… and so what if I'm in love."_

"_Only fools fall in love with imaginary women." Kal said sternly to make a point. _

"_Then dub me the fool." he said harshly and turned back to the sea, "You don't have to be here you know." _

"_Fine I'll leave your love sick ass." he turned walked down the dock and making it half way he stopped rolling his eyes._

_Kal thought about it for a minute considering leaving his friend to wait on the dock and freeze half to death. Then he recalled all the times Chip had been there for him in his so called love tiffs. Groaning loudly, he walked back to his friends side._

"_Alright, you win. We'll wait for your mystery girl."_

_Chip smiled smugly and crossed his arms proud of his friends loyalty. _

" _But you owe me a drink, many, many drinks" Kal said distraughtly only making Chip chuckle lightly. "And your sisters hand in marriage." he joked, joining in his friends laughter. _

_After a while the laughter ended and they waited, for something that may or may not happen. _

_A/N- Please Review, I know that its only the prelude but its still nice to know that you guys are liking it so far. _


	2. Chapter 1

_~ Hills that aren't made of snow.~_

April 1837

The freshly grown leaves on thick oak trees swayed in the invisible wind. The green grass caught the heavy light of the afternoon sin as it rushed about from the soft square indentation of the grassy knoll that was slowly imprinting itself onto reality. With a thunderous squeal and roar of engines powering down, the hefty blue outline of the TARDIS forced itself into the world with all the subtlety of a locomotive. All fell silent until the Doctor swung open the double doors with a wide smile that faded quickly. Slouching in its frame, observing the peacefully boring scenario of grass and trees before him.

"Now this doesn't seem like the planet Zar-dash seven." he said flipping the fringe from his deep set eyes. Rory appeared in the doorway behind him and peered over his shoulder.

"Doctor, quick question?" He started, but the Doctor looked at him as if he were invisible and walked past him quickly up to his main console, hitting a few buttons and doohickeys here and there.

Amy was reading a 'Where's Waldo' book in the yellow jump-seat and getting seriously perturbed by her seeking skills grunting and moaning, "Doctor I think that my husband had a question for you." She said still looking for the little man in the book scrolling it with an extended finger.

"What is it Rory?" the Doctor yelled in his direction appeasing Amy.

"Why didn't we land where we were supposed to?"

"Because he can't drive," Amy answered for him slightly annoyed." And I can't find the stupid numpty!" she threw the book down to the ground and slumped with crossed arms.

"I can drive it perfectly, we just didn't land where I set the coordinates to." he said picking up Amy's children's book glancing at the disorganized mess and pointed to a little man in red stripes handing it back to Amy. Completely astounded she looked up at him with wide eyes and flipped the page. He pointed to another spot, she flipped another page and he again solved it. Already annoyed, she slammed the book shut.

"You think you're so impressive." She scrunched her eyes.

"I know I am." he smiled turning back to the console screens, "Now back at the point at hand." she flipped a switch and the screen was brought to life. "We are on Earth in the 19th century. One of my favorite centuries." he smiled brightly. " Some place called 'Snowy Hill', that's funny the hills out there weren't made of snow at all, they were a sort of green."

"Well lets get outta here and have a look around." Amy sighed and stretched her arms upward and swung them down walking towards the doors. "The TARDIS brought us here for some reason, so lets go."

"It's boring out there, I already checked." the Doctor said still looking at the screens adjusting the small knobs on the sides.

"Look I've been staring at a children's book for the past hour trying to find Waldo and failed horribly, I need to get out of here." Amy said giving the Doctor a very stern eye.

He looked at the fiery red head and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but only for five minutes then we're leaving." he sighed. Grabbing his tweed jacket, slinging it on, he snapped at his suspenders and straightened his red bowtie.

Amy opened the doors and stepped out twirling around in the fresh air. Rory obediently following leaning in the shade of the nearby oak.

"I always thought of the 19th century being all big city and industrious." Rory said looking around. "It seems like any other country side."

"Well Rory they had to come from somewhere." The Doctor said closing the TARDIS doors, locking it and putting the key away in his jacket pocket.

"I think it's nice, kinda smells like cotton candy." Amy observed.

"Yeah I smell that too." Rory said.

"Me three." the Doctor said looking confused. "That's odd, usually the 19th century smells like apples."

"You can't know what a century smells like." Rory snipped. "That's impossible."

The Doctor ignored Rory's comment and pulled out his trusty sonic screwdriver, buzzing at the trees and the ground, finally looking at the readings.

"Something's not right, something or someone around here is interfering with my sonic." he looked at it once more to verify and stuck it back into his pocket. " But there's nothing technological around here, its boring, big hills, green, vast and boring."

"Doctor.." Amy said as she walked to the top of the small knoll her husband joining her.

"This place is so boring its mucking up my thinking process."

"Doctor I think we found the source of the smell." Rory said loudly in the Doctor's direction.

The Doctor rushed over to the couple, his smile gradually getting wider at the sight of a colorful big top tent, in the middle of the large carnival was a medium sized Ferris wheel.

"I take back the boring, looks like the carnival's in town." The Doctor said his eyes filled with childlike excitement.

A/N- Please review I love them ever so much, oh yeah and shout out to Where's Waldo, lol.

Disclaimer- I don't own Doctor who and now I am a sad panda.


	3. Chapter 2

_~Top Hats and Boyish Blush~_

As the trio approached the small settlement, they could hear the light music of a hidden organ, the melody spreading elation throughout the entire park; the screams, barks, shots and dings of people trying their luck at various sideshow gaming booths were a welcome contrast to the cheeriness of the music. The odors of various foods mixed together in the air, cotton candy the most dominating of them all. The controlled chaos of bright lights turning on when the sun was setting, loud colorful tents still being put up, small children scampering about, ticket lines and the competition of people being ushered to the booths sent the Doctor in a flurry of excitement.

"Isn't this amazing," he blurted, wrapping his arms around his companions' shoulders and beaming from ear to ear. "Always love a good carnival!"

"It's certainly not boring," answered Amy behind a giggle, thinking about his earlier remarks of the carnival being dull.

"Won't people notice us," Rory pointed out. "Since we aren't dressed for the occasion?"

"I am," the Doctor noted, looking the couple up and down. "You two, not so much…but not to worry! Just walk around like you own the place. Now, come on, the sun's going down.

He patted their backs and pressed forward. "You know what they say: 'The freaks come out at night'…"

They walked along the muddy ruts made by many feet, with Amy and Rory making their way to an ice cream shop after begging the Doctor for some money from this century. A large tent caught the Doctor's eye, making him stop abruptly. Light purple with an orange lining around the border, adorned with miniscule blue flags waving in the breeze. The lights were rearranged to draw attention to the large posters reading 'Mr. Merrick's Human Wonders' and 'Alive'.

"Oooh, look at that! Come along, Ponds," he yelled back at the couple. Curious, they followed, licking the dripping deliciousness from their cones and fingers.

Upon entering the tent, there was a crowd forming around a circular pedestal that held a man in a beat-up brown top hat, a thin, curling mustache adorning his face. Taking notice of his new—and rather peculiar—customers, he cleared his throat and swung his pine cane around in a perfect circle around his wrist, catching it abruptly to grab the audience's attention and thrusting the tip at the crowd to punctuate the introduction to his show.

"Hurry, hurry, ladies and gents, the show will start in only a few! I, Mister Conrad Merrick, have personally been traveling all around the world to bring to you fine people the world's most compelling human wonders. Finding these oddities and beauties weren't easy, mind you!"

He smugly curled his mustache. "I traveled to the horrid swamps of America to find Kamisha, the only woman in existence to charm the circus' 20-ft. python, Xavier. I then flew across the great Pacific to Australia to find a man. And not just any man."

Mr. Merrick paused dramatically to put the crowd on the edge. "Part man, part elephant! His skin, tough as nails. And I hear he has the memory of one, too!" His overly enthusiastic smile brought similar smiles to the people's faces, except for one member of the crowd. Smiling was not an option for the Doctor at the moment.

"We have a live tattooed lady from Russia, inked from head to toe, among sword swallowers, giants and Inga, the 720 pound lady!" He paused as the audience clapped for his pitch. "Then, my dear people, I have a real treat for you this evening."

He lowered his top hat. The crowd hushed as sadness crossed his face.

"I have, especially for you wonderful people, two of our newest oddities to hit the stage. But mind you, they're kind of shy, this being only their third performance this month. The Wildman and his love, who we've dubbed 'Glimmer' for her…well, you'll see soon enough."

There was a quirk in the Doctor's eyebrow. This caught his attention.

"BUT…their story, sadly, is a tragic one," Mr. Merrick explained, "and can be told for five more shillings at the door. You'll receive a ticket and stay for more of a show."

Mr. Merrick smiled widely and pointed his long cane towards the door to a young man with strawberry blond hair manning a ticket booth. The young man waved enthusiastically for him to be seen.

The man on the pedestal knelt down and started conversation with an elderly couple who didn't look so convinced about the exhibit. The Doctor turned from the main stage, grabbing the cones from Amy and Rory's hands and tossing them in the rubbish bin.

"Hey, I wasn't finished with that," Rory exclaimed with a sigh, deeply licking his lips for leftover sweetness. Amy hit the Doctor's shoulder with a open fist.

"Ow!" the Doctor yelped.

"That was very good, and you are very rude!" Another smack flew in the Doctor's direction.

"I'm not rude, I just assumed you were done," the Doctor explained defensively. "Plus, you're the rude one."

"Why? I didn't throw YOUR cone away," Amy scoffed.

The Doctor's face dropped. "You're right, I wasn't offered one to being with."

"Oh…" she felt his disappointment. "Sorry."

"Well, this should be interesting," he changed the subject, walking towards the ticket booth and standing in a short line. "Apart from the whole 'exploiting humans for the way they were born' part and how most of these sideshow acts aren't in the least bit real or true."

"So your saying that they were fake?" Rory questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"In a matter of speaking, some were faked. Like the Wildman was usually an actor covered in mud, and two-headed anythings were most likely rubber toys in jars. Once you see the real thing, it's easy to tell the difference between the two."

Rory was amazed. "Some species really have two heads?"

"The one that really gets me is species with three or more," the Doctor replied, moving further in line. " They can be so consumed with themselves, but it's always a party."

When it was finally the trio's turn, the Doctor pulled the trusty psychic paper out of his jacket pocket and flashed it to the young man.

"We three already paid earlier, see?"

The young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, looked at the paper only slightly confused as to who might've OK'd this. He shrugged his shoulders and gave a nervous smile to the odd bow-tied man and handed him three freshly torn tickets. The Doctor leaned in and smiled mischievously, making the boy take a step back.

"So, what do you know about the lovely couple at the end of the tour," the Doctor asked in a low tone.

The boy mimicked the Doctor's tone. "I only know that it's the Wildman's second performance. Third for Glimmer. I haven't seen the Wildman for a couple of days 'cause he's been locked up. Mr. Merrick found him trying to release Glimmer from her tank."

Amy frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. "Tank?"

"Yeah. You'll see. She's an absolute dream."

Amy noticed that the young man's eyes and voice softened as he explained. "She's new to the oddities showcase along with the Wildman. I don't know why Mr. Merrick thinks they're in love. She barely moves around when they're together or apart. She's…sort of hard to figure out, but when she does move…boy, it's a beautiful sight to be seen."

"Well...Glimmer certainly sounds pleasing," the Doctor said, then leaned in a little more closely, making the young man slightly uncomfortable. "Is there anyway us three could get a small private showing? After dark, perhaps?"

His impish smile seeping through, and the young man wrinkled his eyebrows in contemplation, looking around only to notice Mr. Merrick drawing in more customers with his antics.

Amy pushed her husband and the Doctor aside and smiled sweetly to the young man.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"C-Chip, Chip Harrison." He cleared his throat after answering.

"Well Chip, my name is Amy Pond and this is my husband Rory. And this…oddball in the bow-tie is the Doctor."

The Doctor gave Amy a contemptible look. "Excuse me, Pond, but if anyone is a oddball, it's you two, just look at how you two are dressed." he defended. Amy shushed him and turned back to Chip.

"If we can get the showing," Amy continued, "I'll help you find a way to woo Glimmer."

"Amy?" Rory protested.

"What do you say," she pursued, ignoring her husband. "Do we have a deal?"

Chuckling with a blush across his pale face at the thought, Chip looked away from Amy in slight embarrassment.

"She can't be wooed, madam. I don't think that we're even the same species." Chip said, clearing his throat once more. The Doctor's eyebrows crossed and stared at the boy's reactions carefully.

"Oh, come on, girls are all the same. Live a little," Amy pressed with a devious smile.

Chip looked down at the floor, then looked up into Amy's sparkling auburn eyes. He grudgingly gave in with a deep sigh.

"Sure, alright, meet me on the side of the Ferris Wheel at 9 o'clock. That's when we close up shop for the night."

The Doctor beamed wildly at the young man's sense of adventure and laughed to himself at Chip's obvious romantic nature. "Good man, Chip. We won't tell a soul."

Chip nodded, and extended his arm out toward the entrance of the exhibit.

"Enjoy the show," Chip lightheartedly called to the trio as they made their way through the curtained doorway.

* * *

><p>AN- Do what you do and Please Review :D

Reviews = Love.

Disclaimer- still don't own the Doctor , but someday *shakes fist* Someday Moffet!

**FifteenFathomsCounting- **Suggestion noted. :D I didn't even know that there was a Uk version of Where's Waldo. You learn something new everyday! Thank you for your review love!

**Ladylizethe- **I'm glad you enjoy it, I enjoy writing it, I don't know what my update plan is yet, but I can promise one new chapter each week for like four weeks. :D

(also thank you to SamRam for all of his editing genius)


	4. Chapter 3

_~Xavier loves his Snacks~_

The trio followed a long hallway where fanciful music was being played from an old Victorian music box. Or a new one, considering what century they were visiting. The Doctor pondered this and chuckled to himself.

They reached a room where the wooden walls were painted in a pitch black and yellow scale patterns. A multitude lit candles circled the room, giving it a sacramental feel. Atop a large woven basket in the middle sat a very fit bohemian woman in a lavender gypsy coin bikini. On the back wall there was a rectangular poster showing the very same woman posing erotically with an enormous snake wrapped around her feet. The words, '_Kamisha, the Swamp Woman of America!_' adorned the picture.

Kamisha's smile curled across her small face as people enter her domain, which smelled of freshly cut flowers. The Doctor noticed that the audience only consisted of a pair of teenage boys and their dates, and a very persnickety married couple who looked upon the woman's attire with their noses held high.

When it looked as if no-one else was going to enter the room, a pair of satin drapes covered the entryway. A sharp violin trill set the tone that something amazing was about to happen.

The woman stood up on the basket and jumped swiftly from it performing a front flip sending the rather small crowd into an awe as they clapped in amazement.

Kamisha bowed respectfully and strode behind the basket, sending the top sailing behind her. With a flirtatious wiggle of her hips and matching smile aimed towards the Doctor and waved a dainty hand full of rings and trinkets, making tiny jingles.

Amy noticed kamisha's glance toward the Doctor. He seemed completely oblivious to them, watching the basket intently.

_He does that to girls and never notices, such a numpty_. Amy observed, rolling her eyes and nudging the Doctor in the side of his arm. She pointed in the direction of the woman who awaited his response. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and smiled goofily as he acknowledged her with a small wave.

Kamisha laughed at his boyish reaction and then proceeded to reach into the basket that engulfed her entire arm. She slowly retrieved her arm, a small snake tail was wrapped around her forearm several times. It was a garter snake, colored in deep red and bright yellow stripes along its long, thin body. She held the snake's head between two fingers.

"That's nothing but a baby Miss," one of the teenage boys cried out, crossing his arms in a defensive huff. "I thought the man up front said you had a python?"

Kamisha shot the boy a very stern look, which abruptly softened as she noticed who said it.

"Who said I didn't, sweetheart?" she said in a very light southern belle accent.

Out of nowhere Rory gasped and jutted off to the side hitting the thin wall with a thud.

"Rory?" Amy said in worry. "What's wrong?"

"Something touched my ankle!"

"Xavier doesn't like it when people yell," Kamisha purred to the audience, "so please be warned."

Kamisha drew the audience's attention back towards her, and everyone gasped in unison as a large snake wrapped itself around the woman's small frame.

"You do love your mommy, don't you my sweet?" she cooed as the snake's head slithered around her petite arm and rested on her shoulder. She kissed the tip of Xavier's nose and smiled as he slithered down her chest, tickling her skin with his forked tongue. The pythons body was contrived of dark browns, splashes of dark yellows and white spots. Its light yellow underbelly contracted smoothly when it moved around Kamisha's body.

"Any questions or are you people going to clap for me?" she queried to the awed crowd.

Light clapping commenced from the audience, each person looked a bit nervously at the snake's reaction.

"Where has the garter snake gone?" The Doctor asked gleefully as the crowds clapping calmed. Amy and Rory pointed a glance to the Doctor, then towards Kamisha.

"He hasn't gone anywhere," she replied as she raised her other hand, the small snakes head in between her fingers,

With a flick of her wrist Kamisha snapped the tiny creature's neck and threw it into the air. Xavier flew from Kamisha's body, opening its monstrous jaws and snapped it ferociously around the smaller snakes body.

"That's disgusting!" Rory said slightly gagging.

"She fed it to the -" Amy backed up in fear.

"Alright time to go kiddies." The Doctor said, rushing Amy and Rory to the exit curtain. He pushed the two through it and stopped turning back to Kamisha, waving with a small smile. As he swiftly walked away, the Doctor could hear small jingling from Kamisha's bracelet imagining her waving back.

"Well …I'm going to have to catch up with you Pond's later," The Doctor told the couple, patting them on the shoulders while they walked along the main walkway of the oddities exhibit. "I'm going to go further ahead, pass all the boring stuff and get on to the main attractions."

"You think that swamp-snaky lady was boring?" Rory pointed out, imitating a snake with his arm. His hand lightly touched Amy's hair, making her jump and smack Rory in the arm sharply. The Doctor shot Rory a half hearted smile and pinched his cheeks playfully just enough to make him angry.

"Don't miss me too much Ponds." The Doctor called out as he rushed goofily down the hall, leaving the couple behind.

Quickly popping his head between the drapes to the other rooms. The Doctor passed a giant, three sword swallowers, a fat lady, the elephant boy and gawked at a very attractive tattooed woman exposing her lovely inked skin from the neck down. As the Doctor passed the inked lady's room, he backtracked and caught another glimpse at her lovely skin, then proceeded onward.

When he opened the curtain to the last room, the Doctor could scarcely believe his eyes.

* * *

><p>AN- Oh my what could it be? No snakes were harmed in the making of this chapter. Please review I want to know if I'm going a good job of entertaining you.

Also My internet was being stupid due to rolling thunder storms in the area, and the library was closed at 11pm when I usually update… go figure. Also another note I love Sam Ram for editing he is amazing!

Disclaimer- I don't own Doctor who…. I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry, I'm so gonna cry.

**FifteenFathomsCounting- I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter :D I really appreciate the feedback, and I'm also happy that I made your day, that makes me feel all gushy inside. :D**


	5. Chapter 4

~_Myths and Legends_~

"Wow, she really _was_ tatted everywhere," a wide-eyed Rory exclaimed as he and Amy came walking out of the tattooed lady's room through a deep purple curtain.

"Yup," Amy shared his tone. "You know, you didn't have to stare at her so hard."

"Where was I to look, Amy?" Rory scoffed in defense. "Plus, I caught you looking pretty hard when she took off her trousers."

"I was not!" She scoffed back. "I was looking at the painted wall behind her."

"Sure you were…" He rolled his eyes.

"That's my story and I'm sticking to it." Amy stated, patting his arm and pulling him along hand-in-hand. "Let's see what couldn't wait."

The couple pushed back the curtain to the last room, mainly done in a bevy of metals and harshly lit by candles that circled the room. The crowd was made up of only a few people, all gazing at a massive rectangular box whose contents were obscured by a dark silken sheet. The only visible thing through the covering was an odd shape at the bottom of the impressive containment.

Walking further into the room, Amy squinted her eyes to see what was inside. Drawing nearer, she held out her hand to touch the box; a cane sharply came down and clanged on it, and Amy jumped back with a gasp.

"No peeking, dear!"

Mr. Merrick's face was plastered with a large fake smile and intimidating eyes as he crooned the warning, and Amy gave a small nod. Amy's breathing grew heavier under Mr. Merrick's intense gaze, but her husband gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. They moved back from the box and spotted the Doctor leaning against a far-off wall, covering his mouth while in deep contemplation.

"Doctor I-" Amy started.

"Shhhhhh…" hissed the Doctor as he placed a finger to his lips. "It's about to start, I've only seen it three times."

Almost on cue, Mr. Merrick moved to the front of the strange casing and grabbed the sheet, pausing.

"Now, what you all have been waiting for! I give you the lovely…Glimmer!"

Mr. Merrick wicked away the sheet to reveal a tank of steel and bolts reinforced by glass and filled with murky water, the top of which was caged over with a cast-iron lock.

What the tank held was even more remarkable: A female figure in a slight fetal position, holding the back of her head as her long platinum blonde hair wisped in the water gracefully. Her back was to the awed crowd, bubbles resonating from her hair as her lungs raised and fell quickly. Her spine was edged in small, fin-like projections, each stained in a light blue and fading into her pale skin.

But not a single pair of eyes stayed on her hair, lungs or spine. Instead, their gazes turn toward her silver sub-luceo scaled tail, long enough to trail up the side of the glass. Her scales caught the light and reflected small rainbows along the side and outside of the tank.

Amy and Rory stood there, amazed.

"D-Doctor, is that real or is it faked," Amy asked, pulling on the Doctor's elbow patch, "because I don't think that's a rubber toy in a jar."

The Doctor shook his head, a smile partially obscured by his fingers. "Here's the thing: I just don't know yet."

Rory looked at him in disbelief.

"I thought you can tell," Amy whispered angrily. "Is it alien or is it an actor?"

"Of course it's alien. No human on Earth can hold their breath for this long," The Doctor answered, turning to her. "I'm just wondering if this form is a disguise."

"Like the vampires in Venice," Rory questioned.

"Yes, just like the big bad fishy vampires," The Doctor replied. "But from what I've seen, there's no cloaking device. In it or around it. It's just plain steel and glass."

"Did you use the sonic, does it work now?" Amy queried, keeping her eye on the creature.

"No, it's still on the fritz," the Doctor grumbled. "Something is still interfering with its signal, and my guess is that it has something to do with her."

"Have you seen mermaids before, Doctor," Rory asked, staring blankly at the girl.

"No…and that is what's interesting," the Doctor responded, beaming. "Mermaids are complete myth, legends of the deep. If she's real, then that means that there's most likely a whole new species just reaching out."

The Doctor caught himself and focused serenely before his child-like manner could take hold. Millions of questions zipped through his mind at a hundred miles per minute, but he somehow kept his excitement under control. To a point.

"Can you at least tell if it's…" Rory cleared his throat, "…friendly?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out," The Doctor smiled, looking at the Ponds with that look in his eye which dictated the day was going to get very exciting very fast. "We'll just ask."

Amy became less tense, but Rory looked a bit more baffled than before.

"Wait, didn't that boy at the front say that the-"

"Chip," Amy interrupted, quickly patting his arm. "His name is Chip."

"Right, Chip. Whatever," Rory retorted. "Didn't he say that the Wildman- thing tried to let her out?"

"Does add on to the whole disguise theory, right, Doctor?" Amy mused, crossing her arms and staring hard at the detail of each shining scale on Glimmer's tail. She also noticed that the murky water wasn't nearly as dirty as it could have been and her thin frame wasn't to the point of starvation.

_At least they seem to be taking care of…wait…what am I thinking? _Amy pondered. _Mermaids aren't real….are they?_

Before the Doctor could answer Rory, Mr. Merrick laughed proudly as he 'took the stage.'

"Isn't she a beaut? So, does everybody have a ticket?"

Mr. Merrick leaned against the tank, crossing his arms and twirling his cane around with one hand as he looked about at the crowd, all holding up their tickets. "Found her myself. I was on a walk along a beach right outside of Starfall Bay with my lovely wife, Alena, who runs this fine establishment with me, when all of a sudden I sees this shimmering being laying there among the seaweed. She was weak and stranded, all alone. I was going to throw her back into the sea without a second thought, but the little misses had a soft spot for her from the get-go."

He took a few steps away, then continued. "Then a few days later, when Glimmer was all set up and raring to go for a show, she seemed stronger, happier, a mysterious man shows up at our door, asking about her. So we tossed him out, but he snuck in at the dead of night. And the next morning, we found him, incapable of speech and acting like a beast towards whomever got close to her. So we gave him a home here, and he's been getting wilder by the day. Yesterday, one of my boys got too close during feeding time and he lost a finger."

Mr. Merrick mimicked the lost finger on his hand. The crowd, enthralled by his story, gasped and made faces to their parties.

"And every since the night the Wildman broke in, Glimmer hasn't moved much other than to eat. My wife thinks it's a broken heart," Mr. Merrick finished, lightly tapping the tip of his cane against the glass repeatedly. "What do you people think?"

The audience took no notice, but the Doctor saw that the creature cowered with each tap, clenching her long webbed fingers around her head a little tighter each time. After a few more taps, the Doctor ran up to Mr. Merrick, grabbing his cane and throwing it across the room.

"Hey! Who do you think you are" Mr. Merrick yelled in challenge to the Doctor's face.

"I'm the Doctor, and can't you see your torturing this beautiful creature," he huffed back, leaving Mr. Merrick stunned. Only momentarily, however; Mr. Merrick shrugged off the shock and pulled the Doctor aside.

"Sir, please, I'm only doing it to make her move a little for the audience," he whispered to the Doctor innocently.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You have got to be pretty stupid to think that banging on the glass will get a positive reaction from this exquisitely sexy creature."

He turned away from Mr. Merrick and to the tank, looking at Glimmer's small frame. He lightly touched the glass with his thumb and forefinger.

In sudden reaction, Glimmer unclenched her hair, brushing it out of the way and quickly flipping around to face the Doctor, gazing at him with unbelievable electric green eyes. Staring at the Doctor. Past the Doctor. Straight into his mind.

The Doctor jumped in utter shock. Glimmer tilted her soft-featured face in observation of him.

"What are you," He whispered questioningly to her, his eyes wide as he took a careful step closer.

Her eyes were curious, and Glimmer searched his eyes for her own answers. She pressed her hand to the glass. Cautious. Waiting…

A/N- Yay! Chapter 4 is done! Boy, that one took me a while, it was driving me crazy! It was in my notebook for weeks. Anyways, what do you guys think? Where do you think the story's going? I love hearing your feedback! Reviews/Alerts= Love!

I had a lot of hits and it was a wonderful feeling but no reviews, sadly there are no shout outs this chapter. Except for Sam Ram cause he's the best.


	6. Chapter 5

_~Silly names and Playful banter~_

_((Flashback to let you know., and please don't hate me I know how long it has been.))_

_**January , 1837**_

Shaking her head, frowning she sank back down into the murky water. A mysterious man cursed under his breath and slammed the tank with a strong open fist.

"We can't stay here!" he yelled under a whisper. "You can't stay here with these savages, they'll catch on to your games sooner or later and then they'll toss you on the streets."

She flipped around in anger and splashing the man in the face with cool water. A small smile crept across her face, bubbles plopped out of her mouth as if she were laughing.

"That is it! We are going back NOW!" He screamed at her. Grabbing a nearby ladder positioning it he reached into the open topped tank, gripping a chunk of her platinum hair yanking her upward.

Grabbing at his wrists she scratched at the mans arms and leaving deep lines. The water smelt of blood and she went into violent screeches and squeals twisting and turning her body splashing water over the sides. Spilling over the wooden floors and the mans important device that managed to shock the both of them, he released her falling to the ground with a thud. She on the other hand felt like a thousand volts ran through her system, closing her eyes slowly she sank to the bottom of the tank unconscious to the world.

Hearing a loud taping, she felt her brow furrow, quickly opening her eyes to see a human boy on the other side of the glass with a shocked look on it's face but it's mouth turned into a surprised smile. It turned away from her yelling at a pair of dark figures wrestling with the bad man who was shouting absolute gibberish. _That's what he gets._ She thought, but then titled her head in confusion. Why did she think that? Does she even know who he is? Who was this in front of her? He seemed new, his hair is light, like hers. The boy then quickly turned back at her making her squeak in surprise as she backed up smacking the glass, her hair billowing around her face thusly settling on her upper body.

"Tell Mrs. Merrick that Glimmer is alright, just spooked ." The boy reached out towards her touching the glass lightly. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." He smiled sweetly. "I don't bite."

_Glimmer?… am I Glimmer? _she thought. _I hope not, it seems like such a silly name. _Moving closer to get a better look at the boy , she started to reach out to touch his hand, only inches away he removed it quickly when a loud voice boomed from behind him.

"CHIP! Is my star alright?! Did that ruffian hurt her at all?" a thick foreign accent burst through the room.

"No, Mrs. Merrick, she seems fine. Just a bit shook up is all."

The other figure came into view. It was a woman with pitch black hair that curled along her facial features, her eyes were a deep seafoam green from what Glimmer could see. _Am I Glimmer? I know I must have another name_. She switched subjects but she recognized this woman somehow but couldn't recall. The other woman's face filled with false worry.

"You gave us quite a scare young lady." The woman tapped on the glass hard, making the tank fill with a noise so loud it bounced off the glass.

Glimmer covered her ears to help the sound but it was so intense that she let out a small high pitched screech.

"Make sure our little star eats something, and mop up this mess will you?" She said to the boy slightly annoyed and went away from Glimmer's sight. _That doesn't sound right at all. _She thought It was tweaking at her mind._ Think… think what is your name?_

"Yes Mrs. Merrick." The boy bowed his head and turned back to her. The boys mouth curled into a small smile.

"Sorry about her, she's just worried that we almost lost you." he whispered to her, placing light fingers across the glass. His eyes filled with silent wonder.

His looks were distracting her. She looked back at him curious at what he was so interested in. Wiggling her way upward, she heard him gasp under his breath. Her head gently breaking the surface she moved her tail around to keep herself straight up, she gripped the edge and peeked over the steel top. The cool air hitting her face, feeling nice and refreshing. Glimmer looked down at the boy who's eyes were as big as saucers. She opened her mouth to ask him why he looked at her with such amazement, but nothing but air escaped her lips.

"Goodness, your beautiful." he blushed staring at her every move. "I don't know if you can understand me or not but my name is Chip." He took a very gentlemanly bow. As she moved below the water to be at his level, she smiled sweetly at him. Even though without speech patterns she was still able to get her answer.

The boy nodded and went about his duties around Glimmer's tank. As she watched him playfully whirling her tail around, she hid behind her light blue grey fin so he couldn't see her face light up when she thought about him calling her beautiful. She peeked around to see if he left, but he caught her staring at him. She blew bubbles from her mouth then quickly hid her face again, only to peek again finding him staring back.

"You little Minx, playing hide and seek are we?" he laughed shaking his head smiling away. He covered his face back with rough hands. Hoping to get a reaction from her.

_Minx? That sounds familiar. Mix, Jinx, Minxy? No that's not it…. Nix..Nixe .._Then it dawned on her. _Nixie! My name is Nixie! I have a name! _

Chip uncovered his face in a goofy fashion and she twirled around in the small tank in happiness smiling towards the boy in utter happiness, bubbles fizzled all around her.

"You seem to like that game huh?" he said laughing." What other games do you like to play huh?" Nixie then stopped mid twirl staring at Chip with concern. She touched the glass scraping it lightly as she sank down to the bottom. Nixie couldn't remember why that word made her feel bad, she felt like somebody was gripping at her heart tightly and wasn't letting go.

Chip caught on to her motions and stopped laughing. "What's wrong? Are you feeling alright?" he touched the glass lightly, making his fingertips touch hers through the barrier and felt a spark run through his arm. He pulled it back quickly and stared at her curl herself up in a semi-ball and lay at the bottom of the tank.

"Glimmer…?" he rubbed his arm gingerly utterly confused if he was the reason she was acting this way all of a sudden. He sighed deeply and went back sadly to his duties.

**A/N- Yay she has a name! Nixie means water nymph in German and snowy in Latin from what I looked up on the internets. Please let me know if that's wrong, I won't change the name though mind you. Anyways it's just such a good name that I fell in love with. Also sorry for not updating for forever and a day. **


	7. Chapter 6

_~Light and Heavy~_

Still staring deeply into the Doctor's eyes she established a link. He grabbed at the side of his head wincing in pain.

"Get out.." he gritted through clenched teeth. " Get out… Get out. Get out!"

The crowd was halted looking at him, suddenly the Doctor screamed falling to his knees. Everyone scared at what the stranger might do next, so they all quickly left the room. All of the crowd that remained was Amy, Rory and a very aggravated Mr. Merrick.

Amy ran to the Doctor's side holding his shoulders "Doctor?"

"Get out!" he yelled to the floor, weaving his fingers through his hair gripping tuffs of hair.

"We're not going anywhere! What's going on?" she retorted sternly.

"Get out of my head!" He winced and everyone understood that he wasn't talking to them, but to the creature. "Get out, its too much to handle all at once, you need to regulate it so you don't overload the responders brain and cause damage." He let out a very painful scream. " YOU NEED TO STOP!"

"Rory, do something, she's causing it!" Amy yelled stroking the Doctor's hair carefully. This outburst surprised Rory, lifting his arms in confusion as to what to do exactly.

"What am I supposed to do?" He sought advice from his frantic wife.

"I don't know? Do something!" She yelled back turning back to the Doctor holding his side. "Everything will be alright." she reassured The Doctor who's face was contorted in something between pain and anger.

Rory quickly stepping to the talk at arms length he tapped the glass lightly. "Umm hello?" But sadly no response from the girl staring diligently at the Doctor. Looking around the dimly lit room he spotted Mr. Merrick's cane on the floor. Quickly grasping the end of it like a baseball bat he swung back thusly hitting the tank with a defiant 'THUNK'.

Nixie screamed in an horrible high pitch noise, making everybody in the room hold their ears shut. Vibrations cascaded around the small tank and reverberated off the glass hitting Nixie's sensitive ears. Shutting her green eyes tightly she held her head flipping around violently slamming her body against the glass. Squealing in the absolute pain that rang through her head.

The Doctor released his grip over his hair and stood up immediately his rage towards Rory.

"Rory you idiot! She didn't know any better!" He paused leaning against the glass panting for breath, Nixie's movements seemingly calming down as she sank to the bottom and held her previous pose only more timid and scared than before.

"Well how were we supposed to know? She was doing something to your mind!" Amy snapped.

"Sorry …sorry. It's kind of hard to keep everything straight in your head once it's been scanned." he said rubbing his temples, his face scrunched as if he was getting rid of a migraine.

"Scanned?" Rory questioned, eyeing the girl in the water not sure as to label her good or bad at this point. Rory just wanted to spend a night without anything life threatening happening to his wife, himself or the Doctor.

"Yes, and for everything in it that she could have had, she relayed a message..." he turned to the Ponds with a forlorn empathetic look. "'Nixie's sorry.'"

The three of them stood in silence watching the girl in the tank, her breathing erratic and seemed tainted with sadness.

Mr. Merrick grasped the Doctor's shoulder tightly pulling him away from the melancholy moment.

"Sir, I think it best if you and your party carry on before my wife sees that you upset her star." His voice shrouded in anxiety.

The Doctor's face softened, "Mr. Merrick has anything like this happened before?" he asked with an overly calmed voice. "People stating odd things after leaving your exhibit?"

Mr. Merrick looked the strange man up and down defensively, " What are you some sort of detective?" he pushed the strange man towards the exit curtain. The other oddly dressed couple dashing to his side. "Take your investigations and talk of 'scans' else where, sir. My oddities exhibit has had no run-in's with the law so far and we're not going to let you come in here and make accusations about the main attraction!"

"But Mr. Merrick your making a mistake, we're not …" The Doctor tried to explain with a firm voice.

"I don't want to hear it, if you have questions, ask the Wildman ya loon." he yelled snatching his cane from Rory's hands. " Now you three had better be gone when I get back or I'll sic him on you." and with that he left through the entry way of the room in a fuss.

The three were left alone with the mysterious creature, in utter silence for the moment before hearing the eerie music playing from the outside world of cheerful banter.

The Doctor breathed deeply and let out a large breath, turning on his heel to the tank, touching the cold glass with his thumb, fore-finger and middle, closing his eyes softly.

_Nixie's sorry, Nixie's sorry, Nixie's sorry…._

"I take it that your Nixie?" he smiled sweetly his eyes still shut.

"Doctor what are you doing?" Amy questioned touching his arm.

Nixie swiveled her head and pale body around and stared in Amy's direction sending chills running down Amy's spine. The creature's long body squirming and turning around beautifully within the confines of the iron clad space.

Looking Amy up and down Nixie was perturbed by her figure, Nixie had hips, she could feel the bone within herself. This figure was new to her, the women that had come to see Nixie had cloth around their waist, the woman before her had cloth around her lower limbs. She found it fascinating.

Nixie thought it was strange that these beings weren't like the rest that ogled, they wanted something more than a glimpse, especially this strange man who had a connection to time and space it's self.

Nixie's train of thought stopped and started thinking about how she knew that. Why did she know that? Staring at the odd man with anticipation she touched the glass where on the other side was his fingers. She felt a very strange sensation run though her mind.

_Who are you?…. Time lord?_

The Doctor snatched back his hand and kept it by his side startling Amy.

"Doctor what did you do?" Amy stated slightly aggravated. She was tired of being scared by every little movement in this century, it was getting to her.

"Umm She thinks your pretty Pond." The Doctor said trying to make Amy feel more at ease with herself, and to hide the fact that the beautiful creature in the tank had scanned more than she should have.

_You bear guilt, same as Nixie._

With that Nixie turned her lightly blue scaled back to them and sank to the bottom her platinum hair falling swiftly around her beautifully.

The Doctor stared upon her with sadness. He could tell just by looking into her eyes that she was a youngling, barely knowing the intensity of her power. So he thought how could something so innocent, bare such intense guilt?

"Come along Pond's" he stated, turning from the tank. "I have a few questions for the Wildman." his smile curling as he walked through the exit, Amy following behind happily to leave the room leaving Rory behind stunned.

"…. Really?! We can't have one normal day can we?" he called to them.

"Come on stupid!" he heard Amy yell. Sighing deeply he left Nixie to her thoughts.

* * *

><p>~Later on that night~<p>

Nixie was alone and she didn't know for how long, it felt like she was wading in the water forever. Her chest feeling as if it were to burst, as she slowly moved. Nixie felt heavy as she floated to the top of the tank. She couldn't take this feeling anymore, she reached for the barred dome, wrapping her wet hands around the cold steel, holding on as hard as she could. She wrapped her lower body around herself swiftly dunking herself into the water, again and again. Jarring the dome up and down; it didn't budge from it's position as water lapped around her small shoulders she held the bars lightly letting the rest of her slick body go limp in the water.

Her hands felt raw against the steel, pulsating with anger as she hung there. The water stilled around her paled skin, she could feel so many things. The cool air brushing against her face, the smell of burning wax that came from the lighting, she heard different noises that came from the world outside of the room. She didn't want to feel this way anymore, alone, isolated and an underlying sensation that something was all her fault. In the beginning she wondered why she was here in the first place.

Letting go of the bars she sank back down gently into the lukewarm water. Twisting and turning her body around to the doorways on the other side of the dim room. She could hear foot falls from the distance. As they drew closer she closed her eyes and thought that it was just more eyes for their own entertainment. She touched the glass with both hands letting her fingertips glide against the smooth surface. After a moment she felt an odd warmth on the other side of her touch.

Opening her eyes; it was Chip, smiling sweetly. They shared a quiet moment simply looking into each others eyes. After a while a small smile couldn't help but creep along her cheeks, as her chest felt a little lighter.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aw wasn't that sweet! So yeah lemme explain what happened for the entire year I was gone… I lost my charger to my laptop and was too lazy to get a new one, but then I found it. So then I forgot what I was gonna do with this story for like two months but now I'm back on track :D **


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